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Each year since 2006 Dennis-Yarmouth Regional
High School, through
the School Resource Officers of the Police Service Unit, has acknowledged
graduating seniors who have volunteered to join the United States Armed
Forces. Graduate-enlistees are
called forward before the student body, faculty, staff and parents at the
“Awards Night” ceremony to be recognized.
Each graduate-enlistee receives a plaque which reads, “Presented on behalf of a grateful
community with respect and pride on your enlistment in the United States
Armed Forces.” The remarks
delivered preceding each presentation are below.
The title of this section of www.DYPD.us is, “Sheepdogs,” the term is explained
below in the remarks delivered to the Class of 2006
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Class of 2020
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July 24, 2020
All proceedings for the Class of 2020 were delayed
and abbreviated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We were forced to forgo our
traditional remarks preceding the recognition of our graduating seniors who
had enlisted in the Armed Forces of the United States. Our Sheepdogs were
still recognized at the Senior Last Assembly Ceremony which was held on the
football field on July 24th. To show our gratitude we presented
each enlistee with a Blue Star service banner for their family to proudly
fly over their home during their term of service, a D-Y Sheepdog challenge
coin, and a plaque which reads “On behalf of a grateful community with
pride and respect on your enlistment to the United States Armed Forces”.
Enlisted in the United State Army – Matthew Walsh
Enlisted in the United State marine Corps – Juan
Gonzalez
The remarks below apply to them.
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Class of 2019
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Remarks written and delivered by
Nicholas R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 7, 2019
"The shepherd drives the wolf from the
sheep's throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator,
while the wolf denounces him for the same act as the destroyer of liberty.
Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of liberty."
Abraham Lincoln said these words at a very uncertain time in our nation’s
history. I think many people would argue that times now seem just as
uncertain. As best I can tell, times in this nation have been continually
uncertain since about 1775. If there was a time when it felt most as if we
were one people with a common purpose it was exactly 75 years ago today.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that this
presentation comes on the anniversary of the Normandy invasion. The largest amphibious invasion in recorded
history was to put a quick end to the war in Europe. Land in June, victory
by Christmas. Of course it took much longer than that to defeat the Axis.
Operation Overlord was such a gamble that General Eisenhower wrote two
letters ahead of the invasion, one to announce victory and another
resigning his post as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the event of
defeat on the beaches of France, an outcome that was a very real
possibility.
The only thing certain in times of uncertainty are
that certain people rise. In this case the word
certain carries two meanings. Certain in that they are specific or special
and certain that they are solid in their convictions and fidelity. Certain
people in the Class of 2019 are rising to meet our challenges. These people
represent just 1½% of the graduating class. They might not be elite but
they are unique. I am of course talking about the three seniors who have
committed themselves to military service. Each has already enlisted in
their chosen branch of service and will soon be attending basic training.
All will receive a brand new wardrobe in drab greens and browns, stylish
haircuts and all expenses paid trip to somewhere hot and dusty where they
will enjoy all of the pushups they can endure. Please keep this in mind
while you are decorating your dorm room or setting up your new space at
work or just going about your business this summer. We will be enjoying
these comforts and normalcy behind the shield they will be providing.
Your three classmates are Dennis-Yarmouth’s
contribution to that shield. There was a time, 75 years ago, when everyone
did it but not anymore. The job of protecting a nation and a way of life
now falls to just a few volunteers. When you are pulling on your new
sweatshirt with your college or work logo on it they will be dressing in
various shades of camouflage. The camouflage serves to conceal them from
the enemy but do not allow it to make them invisible. I would ask you to
always remember that these three people who sat next to you in class, who
shared your lunch table or who walked with you in the halls will be out of
sight. Please don’t let them be out of mind. Please always be mindful that
we make up the flock and they are the sheepdogs. When the wolf comes, they
will rise to meet it. They have risen to meet it.
Tonight, it is my honor to extend to our sheepdogs
the gratitude of the Dennis-Yarmouth community. No one leaves our halls,
having volunteered for military service while still a high school student,
during a time of war, (or peace) without hearing all of us say, in one
voice, thank you; because we are D-Y and that is our tradition.
To show our gratitude we will present each
enlistee with a Blue Star service banner for their family to proudly fly
over their home, a D-Y Sheepdog challenge coin, and a plaque which reads
“On behalf of a grateful community with pride and respect on your
enlistment to the United States Armed Forces”.
Our three sheepdogs will join a legion of American
service men and women who in their time answered the call to rise. Veterans
and those still serving, please rise now and be
recognized.
In times of uncertainty, certain people rise.
Tonight I ask all of you to rise with me to thank and honor our graduate
enlistees.
Enlisted in the United States Army Dylan Loring
Enlisted in the United States Navy Elysha Lima
Enlisted in the United States Air Force Kelly Ann
O'Neill
The Sheepdogs of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High
School Class of 2019!
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Class of 2018
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Remarks written and delivered by
Nicholas R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 7, 2018
Ladies and gentlemen, I rise tonight to fulfill a
D-Y tradition. I rise to recognize the members of the class of 2018 who
have enlisted in the Armed Forces of the United States.
We recognize them tonight because once they leave
they will be out of sight and we cannot allow them to be out of mind.
A short story which inspired tonight’s remarks. On
December 22, 2016 Assistant Superintendent Jenks and I had the opportunity
to go to Groton, Connecticut to attend the christening ceremony for the USS
Colorado. My son, Ben, a member of the D-Y Class of 2012, is an engineer at
Electric Boat where the Virginia Class attack submarine was constructed.
Ben was able to get tickets for the three of us to attend the ceremony
which was held in a cavernous hanger where the 377 foot black tubular
warship sat on a set of wheeled cradles on the factory floor. She had not
yet met the sea under which she would sail.
I was surprised to learn that the boat already had
a navy crew, even though it was still under construction. Speeches were
made by a number of civilian, elected and military officials before a giant
bottle of champagne was smashed against Colorado’s hull and she was
officially given her name. I was struck by one of the remarks made by a
senior navy submariner who referred to the submarine service as, “On scene,
unseen”. This was obviously a reference to the stealthy nature of the
submarine but I immediately thought about “on scene, unseen” in the context
of our graduate volunteers who enlist and leave. Some return for a brief
visit after basic training but most just go. They don’t get to visit at
homecoming and they certainly don’t get a spring break.
They will be decidedly on scene somewhere in the
world doing a very difficult job that most people are simply not cut out to
do. They will be unseen by any us who hold them most dear because the
various corners of the globe where they are likely to be sent are very,
very far from the lagoon. I urge all of you to keep them in your thoughts
and to reach out to them whenever you can to remind them how important
their task is and how valued they are to you personally. It is gestures
like these that make the arduousness of military service a bit easier. Do
not allow them to feel unseen.
On a night when we recognize the exceptional it is
worth noting that it is 1.6% of the class that has stood up, qualified for
and accepted military service before finishing high school. Since the end
of the Vietnam War the armed services have depended upon volunteers to fill
their ranks and fulfill their missions in times of peace and war. The task
has always fallen to just a few. If that small number doesn’t define the
word exceptional then nothing does. Three out of the 186 members of your
graduating class have volunteered to be our sheepdogs, to guard our flock
from the wolves that would do us harm. When the pack shows up the sheepdog
stands between us and them with their teeth bared, ready to do great
violence on our behalf, to keep the flock safe, at great personal risk. You
might think that this makes them popular, but not always. The sheepdog
resembles the wolf in many ways with its sharp fangs and its own brand of
growl and not everyone can tell the difference between the two, especially
in times of calm. The sheepdog reminds everyone that there are wolves in
the land and too many would rather that the sheepdog be on his or her way
to remove the reminder. That is until the wolf arrives and the entire flock
gathers behind their sheepdog.
They will stand on the wall between us and the
darkness. They will stand on that wall, and to paraphrase one of Principal
Morrison’s favorite quotes from the fictional Marine Colonel Nathan Jesup, which he likes to use in the quiet moments in
the office, ‘We want them on that
wall, we need them on that wall.’
Tonight, it is my honor to extend to our sheepdogs
the gratitude of the Dennis-Yarmouth community. In well-established D-Y
tradition, no one leaves our halls, having volunteered for military service
while still in high school, during a time of war, (or peace) without
hearing all of us say, in one voice, thank you. So on behalf of the greater
D-Y community I say it. Thank you. You carry with you our deep respect,
everlasting gratitude, and our boundless pride. We tell you these things
tonight because you are not unseen and because we are D-Y and this is our
tradition.
We will present each enlistee with a Blue Star
service banner for their family to proudly fly over their home, a D-Y
Sheepdog challenge coin, and a plaque which reads “On behalf of a grateful
community with pride and respect on your enlistment to the United States
Armed Forces” and a quote from General Dwight D. Eisenhower "What counts
is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight – it’s the size of the
fight in the dog"
I mentioned that 1.6% is a small number but our
three sheepdogs will join a legion of American volunteers who came before
them and are themselves often unseen. I call on all of the veterans in the
room, the sheepdogs that came before, and those currently serving, to stand
and be seen as I introduce our newest sheepdogs.
Enlisted in the United States Navy
Samira Louis
Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
Ryan Hageali
Enlisted in the United Sates Army
Shelby Matins
The Sheepdogs of the Class of 2018
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Class of 2017
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Remarks written and delivered by
Nicholas R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource Officer
Yarmouth Police
Click
here to see the presentation on YouTube at DYMedia1
June 8, 2017
Freedom. We consider it to be every American’s
birthright and the defining attribute of America itself. Ask yourself this,
would you fight for it? How far would you go, what would you do to preserve
your liberty? And what would you do to defend your neighbor’s liberty?
History tells us that where freedom exists there
is always a sinister force nearby ready to take it away. Keeping it is
hard.
When the founders stood up and declared the
American colonies independent from Great Britten, King George said, you
want liberty, prove it. Pick up a weapon. John Hancock and the signers
threw down the gauntlet and George III called us out. Eight hard years
later we were our own nation.
Over 241 years, in conflict after conflict, time
after time American commitment to freedom has been tested. The Barbary
pirates, the Civil War, fascist in Europe, communists in Asia, and tyrants
in the Middle East… We have been called out.
America, if you truly value liberty at home or
abroad, prove it. Pick up a weapon.
There have certainly been some notable moments
where peaceful means have been used to secure the blessing of liberty.
Their rarity is why the extraordinary American, Dr. Martin Luther King has
his own holiday. Unfortunately, at too many pivotal moments in history the
defense of freedom has required young Americans to pick up a weapon and go
into harm’s way.
So how far would you go to secure your own freedom
and what would you be willing to do for your neighbors’ freedom? A few of
your classmates have answered that question and volunteered to pick up a
weapon and stand the watch.
This choice is not for everyone. In fact it is
really only for the very few.
There is an old story about the Sheepdog which
serves as the inspiration for this part of our ceremony. This is the story:
"Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are
kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by
accident. "Then there are the wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep
without mercy. But then there is the sheepdog. The sheepdog lives to
protect the flock and confront the wolf. The sheep generally don’t like the
sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for
violence, just like the wolf. The difference is the sheepdog has such a
deep love for his fellow citizens that he cannot and will not ever harm the
sheep and he is willing to walk into the heart of darkness to protect them.
Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that
there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them
where to go, or what to do, or be seen constantly standing at the ready in
his olive drab, or blue. The sheep
would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself
white, and go, Baa. Until the wolf shows up; then the entire flock tries
desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.”
Be without doubt that our sheepdogs have assumed
great risk on our behalf. Their families will spend the next set of years
in a state of worry, and I hope an overriding sense of pride.
Sometime about mid-August, when some of you are
wrapping up your summer jobs, take moment to think about your Sheepdogs;
the members of the Class of 2017 who are spending the rest of their summer
at Great Lakes while you are packing for college. And everyone should
consider these words from the Trace Adkins song, Semper Fi:
“I sleep in my bed instead of the foxhole
I never heard my boss tell me to lock n
load
Ain’t no bullet holes
in the side of my SUV
Cuz the kid next
door just shipped out overseas”
In well-established D-Y tradition, no one leave
theses halls, having volunteered for military service while still in high
school, during a time of war, (or peace) without hearing all of us say, in
one voice, thank you. So on behalf of the greater D-Y community I say it.
Thank you. You carry with you our deep respect, everlasting gratitude, and
our boundless pride. We tell you these things tonight because we are D-Y
and this is our tradition.
We will present each enlistee with a Blue Star
service banner for their family to fly over their home, a D-Y Sheepdog
challenge coin, and a plaque which reads “On behalf of a grateful community
with pride and respect on your enlistment to the United States Armed
Forces” and a quote from General George S. Patton, Jr. “If a man does his
best, what else is there?"
I ask that the veterans in the room please stand
with me.
Enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve
Burton Stevens
Enlisted in the United States Navy
Fred Horrigan
The Sheepdogs of the Class of 2017.
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Class of 2016
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Remarks written and delivered by
Nicholas R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource Officer
Yarmouth Police
Click
here to see the presentation on YouTube!
June 9, 2016
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Good evening Dolphins. The last time I stood
before you I told you I did so in dread. Tonight I happily embrace the task
and responsibly of addressing you for the recognition of our military
enlistees. That’s what we call it for the uninitiated. That’s how it is
listed in the program. In the halls of D-Y those I speak of are called
Sheepdogs. In the remarks of past years I talked about the arduous nature
of military service and tell what I hope is an inspirational tale from our
national’s history before I get to the names. Tonight things will be
different because the history I will talk about is our history, D-Y history
and I was a witness.
January, 2006.
Principal Jenks and I were attending training on school safety and
security. The instructor was Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, a retired
Army Ranger and West Point psychology professor. Colonel Grossman is true
warrior scholar. In the course of his day-long presentation Colonel
Grossman told the story of the Sheepdog. This is the story.
"Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are
kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by
accident."
"Then there are
the wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy."
"But then there is the sheepdog. The sheepdog lives to
protect the flock and confront the wolf."
“The sheep generally don’t like the sheepdog. He looks a lot
like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence, just like the
wolf. The difference is the sheepdog has such a deep love for his fellow
citizens that he cannot and will not ever harm the sheep and he is willing
to walk into the heart of darkness to protect them.”
“Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant
reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he
didn't tell them where to go, or what to do, or be seen constantly standing
at the ready in his olive drab, or blue.
The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs,
spray paint himself white, and go, Baa."
“Until the wolf shows up; then the entire flock tries
desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog.”
The story got some play in the film American
Sniper. Those of us who carry arms in defense of others for a living tend
to closely identify with the story and so it strongly resonated with me.
Colonel Grossman had my attention. He went on to provide the following
fun-fact: every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine then serving in the
armed forces, back in 2006 as is the case today, either enlisted or
reenlisted during a time of war. I was stunned and embarrassed that I
hadn’t done the math myself and then embarrassed again that we were just
letting our kids go off to war without any acknowledgment at all. Young
people were graduating from D-Y High School, volunteering for military
service in wartime and no one was saying a word when they left. As a school
we were recognizing academic achievement, athletic excellence; and other
traditional and appropriate things like the most likely to succeed, most
athletic, most musical, most dramatic, class couple, best arms, worst
driver... Most likely to serve in a combat zone: not a word. The situation
demanded correction.
At the break, Mr. Jenks and I shared a glance;
simultaneous revelation. Of the thousands of conversations he and I have
had over the years this one was definitely the shortest. I asked him if
there was something we could do about it, and he said yes and a D-Y
tradition was born using only about ten words between us. The task was mine
to create it and in June we were ready to execute on our new addition to
Senior Week. There was a lot of pressure, there is every year but this was
the first one, it had to be great, it was important. I didn’t realize just
how important at the time.
I gave a short speech. I talked about the 2% of
the class that had enlisted, I told the Sheepdog story and, made remarks
about walking the warrior’s path of discipline, service, truth, camaraderie
and honor and then I called the ten names of the Sheepdogs of the Class of
2006. The last name I called was Nicholas Xiarhos.
I remember it very clearly, Nick rose from his
seat which was in that back corner and he came up and joined the other
Sheepdogs for the loudest and most sustained applause of the entire event.
At that Last Assembly on June 9th, 2006, it was those ten enlisted kids who
brought the thunder and it was Nick who brought the lightening. The whole
place was already on its feet and when I called Nick’s name the cheers got
measurably louder as he made his way from the back of the gym to the
podium. It was a sustained roar. It was a testament to who he was, who they
were and their joint cause. Our little Sheepdog presentation was a ten and
was locked in as a new D-Y tradition.
Three years later Nick was killed in action
serving with the United States Marine Corps in Afghanistan. That was a bad
week. We waked him here, under the basket, about 20 feet from where he sat
at Senior Last Assembly.
The gym is hot tonight but nothing like the two
days in July when my friend Ken Jenks and I with the help of Adrianna Sheedy and Eileen Whelan from the main office were
getting the place ready. Seven thousand people came through this gym to pay
their respects to Yarmouth’s fallen favorite son. There was a Marine Corps
honor guard and police color guards from everywhere. It was a hell of a
send-off. Since then we have named the field house for him, dedicated a
flag pole by the baseball field, named a bridge after him; Big Nick’s Ride
is in July, people everywhere are wearing the t-shirts and in a few minutes
three scholarships will be presented in his name, one by me and two by his
dad. I would like to think that his name has been preserved and his legacy
has been secured, but, cards on the table, none of that makes me feel any
better or helps me to carry the loss.
I find my solace in knowing, beyond any doubt that
Nick knew, before he left this gym that day that he was valued, and that
his choice to serve was respected and appreciated. Not too many days go by
that I don’t thank God that we acted when we did, because 2007 would have
been too late.
This is subject matter I normally avoid during
this presentation because I don’t want to be the cause of any additional
anxiety to people who are about to officially become Blue Star families. If
military service was safe and mundane I would be standing over by the fan
waiting my turn to give out money to scholars, but it’s not. There is risk.
This was not about Nick but Nick became the personification of what this is
about. We say thank you now because there might not be a later. Tonight we
recognize eight patriots who have volunteered. What they are going to do is
risky… and they are going to do it anyway. They do it willingly and they do
it on our behalf. And I don’t think we could stop them. We couldn’t stop
Dave or De’Andre or Nicole any more than anyone
could have stopped Nick from enlisting. It is simply part of who they all
are. It is how they are built and part of what makes them special. They
will take up arms for us and they have accepted the responsibility of
guarding the flock and confronting the wolf, because they are sheepdogs.
Furthermore, no one should ever leave theses
halls, our halls, having volunteered for military service while still in
high school, during a time of war, (or peace) without hearing all of us
say, in one voice, thank you. So on behalf of the D-Y community I say it.
Thank you.
And I ask the eight of you, that when things get
tough, you remember tonight, and draw strength from us, enough to power you
through it. We love you and we’re proud of you; so keep your head on a
swivel and come home safe at the end of your tour.
We tell you these things tonight because we are D-Y and this is our
tradition.
Each enlistee receives a Blue Star service banner
for their family to fly over their home, a D-Y Sheepdog challenge coin, and
a plaque which reads “On behalf of a grateful community with pride and
respect on your enlistment to the United States Armed Forces” and a quote,
“Don’t worry about me Mom. I’m living the Dream” Corporal Nicholas Xiarhos, United States Marine Corps.
Veterans, please stand as I call up the Sheepdogs
of the Class of 2016.
Enlisted in the United States Air Force
Kyle Robinson
Enlisted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard
Spencer Post
Enlisted in the United States Coast Guard
Ryan Benoit
Enlisted in the United States Navy
Paul Manuel
Nicole Oberlander
Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
De’Andre Bennett
David Weeks
Appointed to the United States Coast Guard Academy
Kyle Morley
Friends, Dolphins, Americans I present the
Sheepdogs of the Class of 2016.
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Class of 2015
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Remarks written and delivered by
Nicholas R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 11, 2015
"The
shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's for which the sheep thanks the
shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act as
the destroyer of liberty. Plainly, the sheep and the wolf are not agreed
upon a definition of liberty." These are
the words of Abraham Lincoln. Spoken well over one hundred years ago,
President Lincoln’s observation still stands to pointedly describe the
complexities of freedom and capture the difficulty of the shepherd’s role
in preserving it. While I would not presume to rewrite such a legendary
orator as Mr. Lincoln, for our purposes tonight we replace the word
“Shepherd” with “Sheepdog” and we are off and running.
For many years it has
been a D-Y tradition to honor our graduates who have chosen to enlist and
serve in the United States Armed Forces forthwith upon leaving the safe
embrace of The Lagoon. We started this tradition because America was at war
and conscience demanded that we acknowledge the decision of those young
people to volunteer, for whatever reason compelled them, to put themselves
in harm’s way.
The wars are over but
the danger has not has passed. It has been displaced and transformed and in
many ways intensified, but not passed. Freedom and the American way of life
remain under threat from forces around the globe and now perhaps here at
home. The preservation of our freedom will require legendary vigilance. The
job will fall, as it always has, to the few young volunteers who put self
aside and stand posts on six contents, and man the watch on the seven seas and
five oceans.
The thing about freedom
is that there is always someone trying to take it away from someone else.
It takes very special people to hold the wolf at bay or to engage him
outright and to do it in such a way that liberty is persevered for the
flock. We call these special people Sheepdogs.
The Sheepdogs will know
hardships only those who have served before them will understand; they will
forge bonds with their brothers and sisters deeper than the best friendship.
They will know loyalty, they will know discipline, and they will know
honor. They will be the shield the rest of us will stand behind and they
will write the check that all of us get to cash.
The next time you take a
day off and go to the beach, and you decide to step into the shade and take
a sip of a cool drink, I encourage you to take a moment to think of your
Sheepdogs who are somewhere in the world guarding our flock. They may be
standing in the sand, but there will be no beach nearby. The drink they
take will be from their canteen filled with water heated by the sun or
chilled by the cold. Their next day off may be eight months away.
War or no, America will
continue its struggle to protect its citizens and secure freedom at home
and for our allies in these most difficult times. The job will continue to
be done by the few. For the Class of 2015 that job has been claimed by four
souls from this sea of green. To them and on behalf of the Dennis-Yarmouth
community I loudly announce our pride and offer our humble and everlasting
gratitude.
In the words of Winston
Churchill, to our graduate enlistees, I say. “This is no time
for ease and comfort. It is the time to dare and endure.” Our Freedom is in your hands, God speed, God bless and thank you.
We are D-Y and this is our tradition.
(Veterans are asked to
stand)
Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
Randy La
Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
Gandin McCaffrey
Enlisted in the United States Army
Jeffrey Sousa
Enlisted in the United States Army
Ashley Tetreault
The Sheepdogs of the class of two thousand
fifteen.
|
|
Class of 2014
|
Remarks written and delivered by
Nicholas R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource Officer
Yarmouth Police
Click here to see the presentation on YouTube at the DYMedia 1 channel
June 12, 2014
In
the late hours of Christmas night 1776 George Washington and his troops
quietly navigated a flotilla of boats, through the cold December night and
the icy water to the New Jersey banks of the Delaware River to boldly
execute a surprise attack on a groggy Hessian
garrison in Trenton. An immediate
victory was necessary to sustain the faltering cause of the American
Revolution.
A
similar effort was launched on June the 6th, 1944. It was just
about sunrise when nearly seven thousand vessels emerged from the darkness
into the dawn off the beaches of Normandy.
They would deliver 156,000 men to the shore that morning to begin
the liberation of Europe from the grip of the Nazi fist. Thousands of paratroopers had already
dropped out of the night sky well ahead of the landing force to begin what
would come to be known as, “The
Longest Day.” An immediate victory was just as necessary here to free
the world of the fascist scourge.
Both
missions were turning points not only in American history but in the
history of the world itself. It is
much more than a historical fact that both missions were launched from
darkness into the light of an illuminated battlefield but a metaphor that
the valiant acts of young Americans would bring with them the bright light
of freedom shining like the morning sun and they would deliver those badly
needed victories when they were needed most.
We
easily remember the names of the leaders of theses historic events and
praise the nameless troops who served the effort so courageously, in what
has become the best tradition of the American soldier. In his message to
the troops that June morning seventy years ago General Dwight Eisenhower
said in a message addressed to the “soldiers, sailors, airmen of the Allied
Expeditionary Force,” “The eyes of
the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people
everywhere march with you.” The outcome of the endeavor in Normandy and
the one on the Delaware River were very far from forgone conclusions at the
time. I’m sure no one was basking in the light of a metaphor as those very
long days unfolded. The times were dangerous, tumultuous and uncertain.
Sound familiar? It is only in the
20/20 hindsight of history’s rearview mirror that the purpose and nobility
of those missions appears so clear. It was clear enough at the time to
those young Americans, resolute in their purpose, who
stepped out of the darkness and changed the world. Today young Americans, as they did back
then, have answered the call to serve in the face of the uncertainty of our
own times and they do so with their own brand of quiet resolution.
We
reverently remember the service, sacrifice and fortitude of Christmas 1776
and June 6th 1944. Tonight, on a Thursday evening in 2014 we
celebrate young people who have heard and answered a call to serve. We stop for just moment to say thank you
to the members of the Class of 2014 who would stand as Sheepdogs to watch
over the flock, quiet and resolute. Resolute, like the soldiers who pushed
the ice away from prow as the Marblehead Regiment rowed the boats to the
New Jersey side so that they could march into battle against a superior
force. Resolute, like the soldiers
who glided to earth out of the night sky on a canopy of silk into the heart
of the enemy’s stronghold to rend it from his grasp, or to step out of the
Higgins boats onto Gold, Sword, Juno, Utah or Omaha Beach.
We
don’t question their reasons for volunteering; we accept that they are
resolute in their hearts and in their desire to serve. In so doing the rest of us are free to go
about our business and to pursue our happiness as we see fit, free of
tyranny and oppression. We can do so
only because the sheepdog is vigilant.
Tonight we say thank you to our Sheepdogs, the very few among this
outstanding group of young people who have distinguished themselves by
choosing the path of service over self to the benefit and protection of the
rest of us. We say thank you to those who have volunteered for the Armed Forces
of the United States before their high school graduation.
Would
the veterans here in the room with us tonight please stand with me?
To
Corey, Kyle, Olivia, Alyson, and Jacob, we sincerely hope that you never
have to emerge from the darkness to change the world. If you do, remember that out of that
darkness it will be you who brings the light of freedom to that world. Remember that ‘the hopes and prayers of
liberty-loving people everywhere march with you’. And remember tonight when
the Dennis-Yarmouth community, in one voice, said thank you. We do so because we are D-Y and that is
our tradition.
I
present the sheepdogs of the class of 2014:
Enlisted
in the United States Army Reserve
Corey
Campbell
Enlisted
in the United States Marine Corps
Kyle
Cavatorta
Enlisted
in the United States Marine Corps
Olivia
Dean
Enlisted
in the Massachusetts Army National Guard
Alyson
West
Appointed
to the United States Coast Guard Academy
Jacob
Pawlina
|
Class of 2013
|
Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 6, 2013
I rise this evening, on the 59th
anniversary of the “Longest Day,”
D-Day, to recognize the members of the class of 2013 who have enlisted in
the Armed Forces of the United States.
During World War II the free peoples of the world banded together
and fought an iconic and supremely evil enemy. Today and for more than a decade we fight
shadowy, faceless international terrorist organizations alongside some
allies that can be difficult to tell from our enemy. The way to victory under these
circumstances can be unclear. What
is perfectly clear is that in the
world that has existed since September 12, 2001 young Americans have shown
amazing resolve and answered the call to arms, not from their country, but
a call that originates from within their own hearts.
Every year D-Y students enlist; just like so many
of those men who ran down the ramps of the Higgins boats onto the Normandy
beaches and scaled the cliffs to force the liberation of the European
continent nearly six decades ago. By
enlisting, todays honorees join scores of other D-Y graduates who have
become part of the legacy of the D-Day soldiers and all of those who came
before and after them stretching back to those who risked all to stand with
George Washington in 1775.
Different from D-Day, the all-volunteer force that
we enjoy now provides an unprecedented level of normalcy to those of us at
the homefront that enjoy a life uninterrupted by
the conflict, heavily insulated from those who stand in harm’s way on our
behalf. We suffer shortages of nothing while a very small number of
service members face the danger and their families carry the weight of
worry.
For that reason it is our tradition here at D-Y to
say thank you to our graduate enlistees before they leave the fold.
The enlistees this year represent just 1% of the
senior class. General Dwight D.
Eisenhower once said, "What
counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight – it’s the size
of the fight in the dog." To graphically demonstrate what that
means; were the ‘stuff’ to hit the fan right now all 198 of you would get
behind Rory and Erik. They are your
shield, they are your champions.
They have decided to come down the boat’s ramp and step onto the
beach so you can go to school. They
have volunteered to scales the walls so that you can go to work. When you decide to sleep in on some
future Sunday because you had a tough week I want you think about the week
they might have had and where they might be sleeping; it’s probably not
‘in.’
When the wolf growls at the door you will be
standing behind them and they will be standing between you and the wolf,
they are your sheepdogs; they are our sheepdogs, and so I invite you to
stand behind them tonight.
To Rory and Erik, I invite you to remember this
day. When the time comes to dig
deep, in training or elsewhere, and you think you have gone as far down as
you can go, remember today when the D-Y community stood and with one voice
said we are proud of you, we love you, and we thank you; and let that carry
you the rest of the way.
Fellow veterans and active duty service members
please stand with me.
Enlisted in the Unlisted States Marine Corps
Erik Morgan
Enlisted in the United States Army
Rory Murphy
Friends, parents, seniors I present the sheepdogs
of the class of 2013.
|
Class of 2012
|
Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube at
the DYMedia 1 channel
June
8, 2012
Good evening, I rise tonight on behalf of the
Dennis-Yarmouth community to humbly and happily carry on a uniquely D-Y
tradition. Each year we recognize
the very high level of commitment demonstrated by those among the graduating
class who have enlisted in the United States Armed Forces. You are the first family members to not
just witness this tradition but to be invited to participate in it.
These enlistees are joining an institution older
than the country itself. They will
carry on traditions that find their roots in a history that stretches back
to the establishment of the Continental Army in 1775. Their military service will be the most
formative experience of their lives.
The change you will see in them will be dramatic as their character
is forged by the sacred guiding principals of
duty, honor, and courage. Moms,
don’t fret, your baby is still in there; he just stands a little taller now
and his eyes are a little sharper.
If you accept the premise that it takes a village
to raise a child then I call your attention to this impressive assemblage
before us that we have all had a hand in rising. Of a class of 199 children raised by our
village, starting in your home, with you their parents, there are seven of
them who have assumed a very special role. While the village goes about its business,
rising children and doing the other things a village dose, it will be these
seven who watch over it and everyone in it.
They have chosen assume the mantle of the sheepdog that willingly
puts itself between the wolf and the flock.
A sheepdog must remain vigilant while the sheep go about their
business. A sheepdog must occasionally bear its teeth to the wolf, teeth
that are just as sharp and frightening as the wolf’s own. This tends to unsettle the sheep. A sheepdog is always ready, for there is
always a wolf about.
Momentarily I will call the names of these seven
and they will stand before you and their classmates. They will form a line and I want you to
think about how big that line is or rather how very small. Metaphorically speaking, if the wolf
comes tonight we all have to fit behind them because they will be the ones
who confront it on our behalf. Our
seven enlistees will stand with many D-Y graduates who enlisted before them
and those who go with them from the graduating classes of other high
schools. Their relative number is
tiny. These seven graduate enlistees
represent about 3½% of the class of 2012, a number easily overlooked or
dismissed as insignificant – at any other school but D-Y. At the end of the evening we will rightly
and enthusiastically recognize the top 10% of the class. 3½% to stand for the all the others:
there is something very special about that and it does not go unnoticed
here.
We live in a time that will be looked upon as the
longest period of war in American history.
Yet brave young people still emerge, in this case from our village,
from this class with a sense purpose so strong that they would put aside a
life of comfort to join the very few others who serve. There is no draft; they are all
volunteers and each has his or her own reason for making this important
decision. When I spoke to one of our
enlistees a few days ago he told me he did not want to be included in this
ceremony. I told him I was prepared
to respect his wishes and I asked him why.
With a firm handshake and a look straight into my eyes he told me he
“didn’t do it to for the
recognition.” I gave him the
only answer I could. I told him “none of you did and that’s why we have
to recognize you.” I am pleased
to say he reconsidered and I will call his name tonight. This is just one example of what our
village has produced. Tonight I rise
on behalf of the village to say that we
are proud and we are grateful.
I will present
the enlistees with two things this evening.
The first is a plaque which reads, “Presented on behalf of a grateful community with respect and pride
on your enlistment in the United States Armed Forces.” and a quote from
Winston Churchill, the only foreign citizen to have a United States Naval
vessel named for him. The words are
in reference to the Royal Air Force after the battle of Britain and I think it is applicable to the United States
soldier and truer now than it ever has been at any other time.
“Never in the face of human conflict has so much been owed by so many
to so few.”
The other item is a Service Flag.
The flag goes to the family to proudly fly at their home during
their child’s term of enlistment.
This officially recognized flag was designed in 1917 by United
States Army Captain Robert L. Queisser of the
Fifth Ohio Infantry, in honor of his two sons who were serving in World War
I. It was quickly adopted by the public and by government officials. On
September 24, 1917, an Ohio
congressman read into the Congressional Record:
“The
world should know of those who give so much for liberty. The dearest thing
in all the world to a father and mother — their
children.”
The blue
star represents each family member serving in the Armed Forces of the United States
during any period of war or hostilities in which our Armed Forces are
engaged. We are short one flag because I could not find one that has two
stars on it, but I will. It is for
the family who tonight celebrates their graduate who will join his brother
as a United States Marine currently deployed to Afghanistan.
I am now going to introduce a little audience
participation into our tradition.
If you served or are currently serving in the
United States Coast Guard please stand and be recognized.
If you served in the United States Navy please
stand.
As I call the enlistees please stand when you hear
your branch of service. To the
enlistees, please take a look around the room and acknowledge those who
stand with you. It was they who kept
liberty’s torch lit in their youth, the same torch that is now passed to
you to keep burning brightly. As
much as we owe to you, we owe them our deepest gratitude.
Enlisted in the United States
Air Force
Joseph Connors
Enlisted in the United States
Marine Corps
Corey Hennigan
Adam Lumsden
Andrew Robles
Souhail Sabri
Miles Tuohy-Bedford
Enlisted in the United States
Army
Taylor Tierney
The sheepdogs of
the class of 2012.
|
Town of Yarmouth
Memorial Day Observance Keynote Address
|
Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
Good morning one and all. You have all turned out on this Monday
holiday to recognize if not celebrate Memorial Day. It’s the day when we take some time to
honor those who have fallen in battle and those who have served, as well as
the men and women who are currently serving under the flag of our great
nation, both nearby and in far off lands.
Some of you must be wondering why you are
listening to a police officer on Memorial Day when it may be more
appropriate to be listening to a member of the armed forces. It’s a valid question, even I’m not sure
I am the right person to be speaking today.
Let me try and earn it.
Before I was a Yarmouth Police Officer I was a
soldier in the United States Army.
This was so long ago that Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States and Germany was two separate
countries. I did my entire tour of duty in West Germany, which was
considered a forward area at the time.
I served with a 2nd Battalion, 66th Armored
Regiment of the 2nd Armored Division (Forward.)We were the “Iron
Knights.” I was a cold warrior, we stood on a line showing the Soviet Block
that the very few of us were more than ready to take on a whole lot of
them. We had good equipment, we kept
it clean and maintained and we trained, and trained, and trained so that
anyone watching would be deterred from aggression against Western
Europe because we were so ready. In retrospect, my enlistment was
downright luxurious compared to the conditions of today’s deployments. With that said I did serve on foreign
soil under our flag for an extended period of time, that being the case I
have a developed a great respect for those who have done the same. At the
end of my tour I came home with an honorable discharge, no longer the boy I
was when I left, but the beginnings of the man I would become.
My veterancy is of
consequence only to me. I’m not even
sure I qualify as a veteran under certain definitions of the term. Regardless, it is the foundation upon
which my entire adulthood has been built.
It was the transformative force that has guided me thus far, and
continues to guide me through every experience in my life. That piece of me that is a ‘soldier’ is
always there and will always be there.
I know what the service did for me and I do what I can to support
young people who choose a similar path.
Now you have some context so let me tell you the story that brings
me here today.
I have been serving as school resource officer at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School
for what will soon be 18 of my 25 years with the Yarmouth Police
Department. Since prior to my
assignment there, on the Friday before graduation D-Y holds the “Last
Assembly” ceremony. Really, it’s the
only assembly attended by the entire student body, faculty and staff. There are too many people to fit in the
auditorium so we assemble in the gymnasium.
It is a truly wonderful farewell to the Senior Class where a variety
of student talents and achievements are showcased and celebrated. It is
perhaps the nicest event of the year and had been largely unchanged since I
attended my first one in June of 1995. I never had cause to question the
format or content of the event and as the new guy it wouldn’t have seen it
as my place to do so if I did. Flash
forward to January,2006. My good friend, Principal Ken Jenks and I were attending training on
school safety and security. The instructor
was Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman (retired,) a former Army Ranger and
West Point Psychology Professor, a true warrior scholar. In the course of his day-long
presentation Colonel Grossman provides the fun-fact that every soldier,
sailor, airman, and marine then serving in the armed forces either enlisted
or reenlisted during a time of war. I was stunned. Not that young Americans had the
fortitude to go into harm’s way, no surprise there they had been doing that
since George Washington first asked them to. No, I was shocked that I hadn’t done the
math myself and then embarrassed that we were just letting them go without
a word. Young people were graduating
from D-Y High School, volunteering for
military service in wartime and no one was saying a word when they
left. As a school we were
recognizing traditional and appropriate things like the most likely to
succeed, most athletic, most musical, most dramatic, class couple... Never
mind most likely: Those probably
going to war, not a word, they just go. This situation had to be
corrected. At the break, Mr. Jenks
could see it on my face and I could see it on his, simultaneous
revelation. Of the thousands of
conversations he and I have had over the years this one was definitely the
shortest. I asked him if there was
something we could do about it, and he said yes. The details would follow but a D-Y
tradition was born at that table at that conference using only about ten
words between us. Now we recognize
graduating seniors who have completed the enlistment process at the Last
Assembly ceremony. We take about
six minutes out of the hour and a half program to do it. I have the privilege to make a few
remarks to put the recognition into context and then I get to call their
names. They come to the podium and we give them a handshake and a small
plaque, and then they turn to face their school and they are received by
their teachers and peers. In a
ceremony filled with applause for all manner of things, our graduate
enlistees evoke thunder. The crowd
has never failed to take to its feet, students, teachers, secretaries, and
lunch ladies in sustained and deafening ovation. Through the remarks, the plaque and the
applause the message is a very simple one – Thank you.
Every one of those students has a personal reason
for enlisting which I would never presume to analyze, much less judge. We don’t even ask. For they have chosen to go into harm’s
way, and whatever their reason, we
are the beneficiaries of that choice. So we do what polite people do when
someone does something for you. We
say thank you.
Since we started this tradition seven years ago I have called 38 names of
graduate enlistees. This has become
a very important thing to those students.
Sometimes as the year progresses I get a running update on their
enlistment process and, more often, unassuming student’s emerge from the
anonymity of the crowd, students I have never seen before let alone met, to
bring me their enlistment documents so they can share in that special
moment we are happy to give them.
But make no mistake, do not be confused, this is
not some “nice” thing we do for those kids. This is an imperative. This must be done. We can no longer let them leave without hearing
us say thank you before they go, without letting them know how proud we are
of them. The reason is one that can
never be given voice in the D-Y Gym during that celebration. It’s a reason
that doesn’t need to be spoken, except maybe here today. We do this because the nature of their
vocation is such that it brings with it a risk that we will not be able to
tell them when their tour of duty ends.
We know that some of them may not come home safely… and that has
come to pass. One has fallen.
I didn’t know it at the time but I am now convinced
beyond doubt that it was Divine Providence that Ken
Jenks and I sat in Dave Grossman’s class on that
particular day. From God to Grossman
to me and Ken the message was sent and we received it. There was clarity of necessity at the time
that has only become clearer and more necessary as the years have passed.
It was never a question of: ‘Do we do
it?’ It was always, ‘How do we do
it.’ So we discussed our options and we picked out a time during Last
Assembly. For days beforehand I
labored over the remarks I would deliver that during the ceremony. It was important. The pressure was tremendous. There was no way I could know how
important it was at the time. I
composed seven or eight versions of the two minutes worth or remarks until
it was just right. It had to be just
right because I completed the last version about five minutes before the
ceremony began. When the time came I
called ten heroes, wearing green graduation gowns out of the class of over
200 seniors. The last name I called
that Friday morning, the very first
time we ever did this, was Nicholas Xiarhos. Let that sink in for a moment and you
will understand what I mean by Devine Providence.
This brings us
squarely to Memorial Day. Can you have a
Memorial Day event in Yarmouth
without talking about Nick Xiarhos? I think the
answer is no; I can’t. Because I knew Nick and I know his family, every day
is Memorial Day now. This in no way diminishes the sacrifice made by anyone
else in Yarmouth’s
history or in someone’s family history that was killed in action. Some of our war memorial stones around
town have names on them and some don’t.
I would like to think that when those soldiers fell they were
remembered reverently and talked about fondly by those who knew them and
those who knew of them for as long as the following generations could
sustain their memory. Today we are
living our piece of history and
Nick is a part of it. He is
certainly part of my personal history.
It falls to those of us who knew him and knew of him to sustain his
memory for as long as our descendants can sustain it, and today I do my
small part to that end.
At that Last Assembly on Friday June 9, 2006; if
it was those ten enlisted kids who brought the thunder then it was Nick who
brought the lightening. The whole
place was already on its feet and when I called Nick’s name the cheers got
measurably louder as he made his way from the back of the gym to the podium
to join those who would become his brothers. It was a sustained roar which
I have not heard the like at any other time except when we present graduate
enlistees. It was a testament to who
he was and what he meant to everyone in that room. He was
something special. Nick was
possessed of an integrity and sense of self unique to a high school
kid. His values allowed him to reach
out and be a friend to everyone he met; and everyone he met regarded him as
a friend. He was driven to a single
purpose, to become a United States Marine.
No one in the world possessed the power to dissuade him from that
goal. He became a Marine, and one
admired by other Marines. Nick was a
young man of tremendous character, thoughtful conviction, and compassion
for others all traits firmly attached to a steel backbone. Rest assured,
Nick was more than worthy to be our local hero. He was one in a million and when I think
of him I also remember that he is one of millions who served and died in
the course of that service, men and women who possessed their own memorable
qualities, who left behind loved ones so that we may live free and
safe. I remember each of their
sacrifices through Nick’s memory and that is why for me every day has
become Memorial Day.
I ask you this, what if we had said nothing before he left. What if we let him go without a word from
his community? Can you imagine if we
had waited one more year to ‘think it over;’ to determine if school is the proper place to honor
military enlistees; taken some time to find out what other schools do
[nothing,] or formed a committee
to come up with the right time and place ‘appropriate’ for such
recognition. Those options never
occurred to us. We knew the right thing to do and we did it and I
frequently thank God we did. I don’t know how I would have lived with
myself if we hadn’t given our graduating soldiers a proper send-off
starting when we did with the Class of 2006.
This tradition will continue and I challenge other
high schools to follow our lead. Yes, there are a few naysayers out
there. Hear me clearly and have no
doubt, we are undeterred by protest, unflinching in the face of criticism,
and we will not be defined by a minority of voices who for some reason are
confused by what the words, “thank
you” mean. The D-Y High School
community, its students, administrators, teachers, support staff, its
police detachment, and by extension the Yarmouth Police Department stand
with and for our graduate enlistees and we demonstrate that every year when
over 1,000 people take to their feet and raise the roof with their
thunderous roar. We stand behind
them and they will receive the send-off they deserve. We are proud and we are grateful
and they will know it. We are D-Y and this is our tradition.
Thank you for indulging me and my story. All the remarks delivered at the Last
Assembly ceremonies back to 2006 can be found at www.DYPD.us
under the Sheepdog section if you are interested. I hope I have earned this honor of
speaking to you on this important occasion.
God bless our troops and their families who bear a tremendous burden
for all of us; God bless our veterans for their contribution to our liberty
and way of life; and God bless the fallen, not just on this Memorial Day
but every day, for their absence is keenly felt.
Thank you.
|
Class of 2011
|
Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June
10, 2011
For six years I have been permitted to come to
this microphone and address this very special assembly to recognized
members of the senior class who have enlisted in the armed forces of the United States. I regard it as one of the most important
things I do here.
I put considerable effort into coming up with
words important enough to speak into a microphone and worthy of those
people we intended to honor. On
those previous occasions I told stories from history, talked about what it
means to walk the warrior’s path and the gravity of the oath our enlistees
have taken. I talked about virtues
like volunteerism, commitment, and of honor. And all of this started in 2006 with the
story of the sheepdog who willfully chooses to stand alone before the flock
and confront the wolf that would do them harm. All of those words were intended to
convey one very simple message; a message that is normally delivered in
just two small words. Thank you.
Today I bring you no history except for our
own. I have brought you no story to
engage you mind’s eye because no embellishment is required to emphasize
what six of our seniors have done.
They have enlisted in our armed forces in a time of war. The message we convey today must be clear
and without veil. Thank you.
Thank you for your courage;
Thank you for placing service above self; and
Thank you for standing up for all of us.
These six members of the senior class will
doubtlessly come to find that military life, while formative and rewarding,
certainly has its hardships. They
will have their bodies, minds and spirits tested in ways difficult to
imagine for those who have never done it.
To the enlistees I say this to you: When the times are toughest, whether in
basic training, in the field or aboard ship, I want you to think of today,
and remember the gratitude and the pride you felt when D-Y stood up for you
and in one voice said thank you, and draw strength and resolve from all of
us.
We will present a plaque to each graduate enlistee that reads,
“Presented on behalf of a grateful
community with respect and pride on your enlistment into the United States
Armed Forces.” and a quote.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away
from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It
must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
~ Ronald Reagan
We put our freedom in your hands to preserve and
to protect. We wish you Godspeed and
a safe return; and we say thank you.
We are D-Y and
this is our tradition.
I present the
Sheepdogs of the Class of 2011.
Enlisted in the United States
Army Reserve
Kathleen Aguiar
Enlisted in the United States
Army Reserve
Danny Lennon
Enlisted in the United States
Army Reserve
Reese Smith
Enlisted in the United States
Navy
Jared Braginton-Smith
Enlisted in the United States
Navy
Zoe Fennell
Enlisted in the United States
Navy
Nicole Morgan
Click here to see it on YouTube.
|
Class of 2010
|
Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 11, 2010
Several years ago newsman Tom Brokaw wrote a book
called The Greatest Generation.
It was about the people who grew up during the Great Depression and
went on to fight and win World War II.
The term “The Greatest Generation” has become part of our national
shorthand to describe those people who lived though some of the most trying
times in our nation’s history.
When Pearl Harbor
was attacked on December 7, 1941 thousands of young Americans went to their
neighborhood recruiting office and enlisted to avenge the surprise attack
in the Pacific. World War II was
already two years old in Europe. A few short days later on December 11th,
Germany declared war on
the United States. Millions more would be needed to defeat
the combined enemy of the Axis powers.
Many, who did not enlist, like my grandfather, answered the call to
serve their country through the draft which provided the manpower needed to
achieve victory in Europe and the
Pacific.
Secretary of Defense
Melvin Laird ended the draft on January 27, 1973 with the conclusion of the
Vietnam War. Since then the United States
military has been an all volunteer force. With the exception of short operations on
the island of Grenada and in Panama in the 80s a period of
relative peace followed. That peace
was broken on September 11, 2001 with the attacks on the World Trade
Center and the
Pentagon. The draft would remain a
part of American history, even in the aftermath of that terrible Tuesday
morning. The Armed Forces would
depend on the spirit of young Americans to rise to the occasion on their
own, as so many from previous generations had done before in times of
similar national crisis.
There would be no draft
to augment the relatively small number of volunteers who rallied to the
flag this time. Instead, the full
burden of fighting what would become two wars simultaneously has fallen
exclusively on their shoulders.
There is no surprise in that a few have borne the burden for the
rest, it has become an axiom; like the lone sheepdog that chooses to stand
between the flock and the wolf. The
truly astounding thing is that in the longest period of prolonged war in
our history, second only to the Revolutionary War itself; we can still find
that volunteer sprit amongst you.
As I bid my twenty-two
year old cousin Andre goodbye six weeks ago, before he left for Army basic
training at Fort Leonard Wood I pondered aloud to the assembly of family
and friends: If we rightfully call my grandparents the people of the
“Greatest Generation”, what will history call this generation of volunteers
who are doing it on their own. What
is greater than the greatest?
The privilege is mine to announce the members of
the class of 2010 who have enlisted in the United States Armed Force.
They will receive a
plaque, which reads: “Presented on
behalf of a grateful community with respect and pride on your enlistment in
the United States
Armed Forces.”
And a quote: “By the sword we
seek peace, but peace only under liberty.”
While that sounds like
something a Viking might shout from the deck of his long boat just before
an invasion, it is a saying that actually appears on your driver’s license.
Is it the motto of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and
it is there to remind them that no matter how far away their travels take
them, they and their spirit came from here.
Enlisted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard
Shauna Edwards
Enlisted in the United States
Marine Corps
Ashley Jacob
Currently serving in the
United States Marine Corps
Samantha Hudson
Enlisted in the United States Army
Alan Packer
Enlisted in the United States
Army
Christopher Schakel
Enlisted in the United States
Marine Corps
Evan Tuohy-Bedford
(L) D-Y Assistant Principal
Tony Morrison
(M) Samantha Hudson, Class of 2010 /
United States Marine Corps
(R) Yarmouth Police
School Resource
Officer Nick Pasquarosa
Left photo by Reade Scott Whinnem
Right photo by Judy Provencher
Samantha Hudson left D-Y to
report to basic training prior to graduation exercises for the Class of
2010 which were held on June 12th.
Her last day at D-Y was Friday May 28th. Sam was recognized for her
enlistment by Assistant Principal Tony Morrison and School Resource Officer
Nick Pasquarosa in small ceremony before a group of her classmates on her
last day at D-Y. Sam is the only
graduate to leave D-Y for the armed forces prior to graduation and return
from the military to receive her diploma since a group of World War II
veterans were awarded theirs in 1998.
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Class of 2009
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Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 12, 2009
Thomas Jefferson said, “The boisterous sea of
liberty is never without a wave.”
If liberty were a placid lake then there would be no need for soldiers; or
police officers for that matter. I
could become a fireman, everyone loves a fireman. Simply put, Thomas Jefferson was saying
that freedom is hard. It’s hard to
get it, it’s hard to keep it, and we have seen over the last several years
that it is not at all easy to share and you can not
give it as a gift. Certainly human
history tells us that freedom is never given and there is always a dark
force waiting to take it away.
In the relatively short
history of America we have had to rest our own liberty from a tyrannical
power, and then fight a second time to keep it; we have fought ferociously
amongst ourselves over the very meaning of freedom, and we have stood up to
the challenge of two world wars to preserve it. The peace that followed each of these
events was always short lived.
While we patiently wish
and wait for peace to break out in our own time we would do well to know
that when it comes it will not be permanent. Because of the unique role America
plays in world affairs it is prudent to assume that when the dark forces
rise again the free world will turn to us to take a lead in opposing
it. This reality requires our
vigilance and that vigilance takes the corporeal form of dedicated young
men and women in uniform, standing ready to answer the call. I find comfort that amongst you there are
some people who are possessed of that special character we have discussed
here before; those who have placed service above self, and made the
decision to embark on a journey that will doubtlessly be the most formative
experience of their lives.
I was asked last week why we recognize military
enlistee’s at Senior Last Assembly.
Why don’t we recognize others who aspire to public service, like
those who aspire to be police officers and fire fighters and teachers? The reason is that military enlistment is
not an aspiration it is a commitment to a way of life and one that starts
for these honorees almost immediately.
In fact one of the people whose name I will call leaves for basic
training on Sunday and is not here with us today nor will he be with us on
the field tomorrow because he has already begun his military service. Furthermore, aspirations can change over
time. If, for instance, you get into
police work and find it isn’t for you, you can always quit. No such option is available for someone
who has raised their right hand and sworn to uphold the Constitution and
defend us from all enemies, foreign and domestic. As it happens, this is one of the best
attributes of an American soldier… They
don’t quit.
Each of these honorees
has personal reasons for making the choice to join the armed forces. I would not presume to speak to those
reasons but I can speak to the tremendous pride and admiration we have in
them for making it.
While today’s current
events are rightly and passionately debated, the reality is it will be at
least forty years before we truly begin to understand their historical
significance. A war is right / a war
is wrong, is not the issue of today’s presentation. This decision, made by the few, for the
benefit of the many is. They
have answered their own call and will become a part of that history on our
behalf.
If the “The
boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave” then these fine
young people are our breakwater. If
we do not recognize them now, then when?
Now, I am privileged to
introduce the members of the class of 2009 who have confirmed orders for
their enlistment into the United States Armed Forces.
Massachusetts Army National Guard
Joseph Elliot
Kathryn Labarie
United State Marine Corps
Christian Brigham
United States Army
Joshua Fernandes
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Class of 2008
|
Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 13, 2009
Mr. Morrison
normally stands with us. He could
not be here today. He asked me three times to make sure I told you he would
be here if he could. He is attending
the funeral of a member of his National Guard unit who died in a traffic
accident during training. Mr.
Morrison could not be here; Sergeant Morrison simply had to be there. He knew you would understand that.
Recognition of Military
Enlistees
Albert Einstein said “The world is a dangerous
place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on
and do nothing.”
Our remarks this
morning are about those among you who have decided to stand up and do
something.
In the coming
weeks and months many of you will be settling into your dorms and starting
your classes, some of you will be meeting the new boss, while these few of
your classmates will be completing basic training.
In the same
coming weeks and months each of them will raise their right hand and take
an oath. Some have taken it already. By taking the oath they have made a
solemn pledge both to their country and to all of us. Having taken the oath ourselves we can attest
that it is no small promise.
By raising their
hands they pledge to defend America
from all enemies’ foreign and domestic.
In so doing they will join ranks with dozens of recent D-Y graduates
serving our country in uniform during a time of war. They will stand shoulder to shoulder with
them, forming a wall of navy blue and of digitally flecked sage green, a
barrier between all of us and a dangerous world. They volunteered to stand watch as the
sheepdog watches over the flock and to face the perils associated with such
an endeavor, freely and without any mental reservation. They stand up to be a part of something
larger then themselves; the ideals of service, self-sacrifice and of
liberty for all. While we go about
the business and frivolities of our lives here at home they will be standing
posts, on the decks of ships, along flight lines and certainly in the
desert heat. By doing this they have
said: ‘not on my watch.’ It is no
small promise.
When we lay down
our heads at night, and pull that warm blanket of freedom up over us, we
should all take a moment and think of those who provided it and where it
was that they spent the night. When we wake up in the morning we would do
well to remember that the price of that peaceful nights
sleep is paid by them - because they took an oath and made no small
promise.
We recognize them
in this forum because to just let them go, without a word,
would be wrong. We invite you to
join us in publicly giving them the thanks and recognition they rightly
deserve.
It is our
privilege to present to you the sheepdogs of the Class of 2008. They will receive a plaque, which reads:
“Presented on behalf of a grateful community with respect and pride
on your enlistment in the United
States Armed Forces.”
And the quote by
~ Albert Einstein
“The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do
evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”
So that they and their families never forget that they were among the few
who chose to do something.
We now call the
names of those who have volunteered.
Enlisted in the New Hampshire Army
National Guard
Kehan
Connors
Enlisted in the United States
Coast Guard Reserve
Megan Moran
Enlisted in the United States
Coast Guard
Sam Lowell
Enlisted in the United States
Air Force
Andrew Colucci
Enlisted in the United States
Air Force
Robert Reardon, Jr.
Enlisted in the United States
Navy
Colin Ramalho
Enlisted in United States
Marine Corps
Christopher Arrigo
Enlisted in United States
Marine Corps
Nicholas Green
Thank you.
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Class of 2007
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Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 8, 2007
Two weeks ago D-Y
hosted veterans from several of America’s past armed
conflicts. We took that opportunity
to pay tribute to their service to our nation and give them a richly
deserved hero’s welcome. To look at
those men, particularly those of the vanishing World War II generation, it
was probably difficult to see the fresh faced school boys that they once
were in their youth. Perhaps it was
harder to imagine that the fate of the free world once rested squarely on
the shoulders of those boys who would become men on the beaches of Iowa
Jima and Normandy and the hundreds of
other battlefields across Africa, Europe
and the Pacific theater. We rightly
call them heroes though they seldom think of themselves in such a way. If you ask them they will tell you they
did what was asked of them and nothing more...because their country called
them to serve. Today our country
doesn’t call. The armed forces are
populated solely by volunteers.
What’s more, everyone serving today enlisted or reenlisted during a
time of war.
I pose a
question: for the past four years have heroes been walking among us? In the crowd of fresh faced school boys
before me is there someone who will distinguish themselves with valor. Is that the true test? Or is the distinction in the service
itself?
Most in the
military serve in support roles and are not intended to see action on the
front line. But when the Blackhawks
were going down in Mogadishu in 1993 and Task
Force Ranger, one of America’s Elite fighting forces, was cut off,
surrounded, and without back up.
When 117 men found themselves fighting the entire city, it was the cooks, mechanics and air traffic controllers that grabbed
their rifles, donned their armor and mounted their humvees
and rode to the rescue. That is the
heart of the volunteer.
Those who step up to be America’s next generation of
sheepdogs may not be decorated in medals or serve in elite units and maybe
they will. It is enough that they
have volunteered and we are confident that they will do so with honor. They day may come, when they are older,
with only the lines across their face to tell their tale, when they sit in
some high school gym to me recognized.
I for one don’t think we should wait sixty years to say thank you
and give them a hero’s welcome.
It is our
privilege to present to you the sheepdogs of the Class of 2007; each has
either already completed or has confirmed orders to report for basic
training in their respective service.
They will receive a plaque, which reads:
“Presented on behalf of a grateful community with respect and pride
on your enlistment in the United
States Armed Forces.”
And a quote by ~
Thomas Paine
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men,
undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”
Enlisted in the United States
Army
Taylor Gow
Adam Harper
Enlisted in the United States
Army Reserve
Shawn Williams
Enlisted in
United States Marine Corp
Joshua Daubert
Thank you.
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Class of 2006
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Remarks written
and delivered by
Nicholas
R. Pasquarosa, Jr.
School Resource
Officer
Yarmouth Police
June 9, 2006
Last evening, at
awards night, we celebrated the achievements of many of the members of the
Class of 2006.
This morning I
draw your attention to what amounts to just over 2% of your classmates who
have also distinguished themselves and who may have otherwise gone
unnoticed. Those who have chosen to
walk the warrior’s path.
It is important to note that everyone
serving in the armed forces today enlisted or reenlisted during a time of
war. And regardless of whatever
personal views you may have on this war or a war or war in
general, I submit to all of you assembled here that their decision to
enlist demands your respect.
If you will indulge me I would like to paraphrase
from the writings of retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, who
spoke to your teachers in January.
He wrote:
"Most of the
people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive
creatures who can only hurt one another by accident."
"Then there are the wolves, and the wolves feed on the sheep
without mercy."
"But then there is the
sheepdog. The sheepdog lives to protect the flock and confront the
wolf."
“The sheep generally don’t
like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the
capacity for violence, just like the wolf. The difference is the sheepdog
has such a deep love for his fellow citizens that he cannot and will not
ever harm the sheep and he is willing to walk into the heart of darkness to
protect them.”
“Still, the sheepdog disturbs
the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land.
They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or what to do, or
be seen constantly standing at the ready in his olive drab, or blue. The sheep would much rather have the
sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, Baa."
“Until the wolf shows up;
then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely
sheepdog.” Those are the
words of Colonel Grossman.
We walk the
warrior’s path; wearing Army-Green in our youth and shades of blue through
or adult lives. We are here to tell
you it is not an esoteric concept, but a way of life. It has been our privilege and our
personal mission to serve as your sheepdogs for the years you have spent at
D-Y.
Whether someone
has elected to become a member of the thin blue line, the long gray line or
a line flecked in digital pattern camouflage, that person has decided to
walk the warrior’s path. It is a difficult path that is often misunderstood
by those who have not traveled it.
It is a path of discipline, a path of service, a path truth, a path
of deep camaraderie and in the end it is a path of honor and one well worth
walking.
Now these two old
soldiers would like to present to you the next generation of sheepdogs from
the Class of 2006, each has confirmed orders to report for basic training
in their respective service. They
will receive a plaque, which reads:
“Presented on behalf of a grateful community with respect and pride
on your enlistment in the United
States Armed Forces.”
And a quote by
Thomas Jefferson:
“The price of
freedom is eternal vigilance”
Enlisted in the United States
Air Force
Stephen Collucci
Enlisted in United States
Coast Guard
Nicholas Ciocca
Enlisted in United States
Navy
Hayden Knott
Accepted to the United States Military
Academy at West
Point
Kyle Sullivan
Enlisted in
United States Marine Corp
Andrew Coville
Benjamin Hudson
James Soares
John Tibbits
Jason Woodland
Nicholas Xiarhos
Thank you.
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~ In Memoriam ~
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